


Stone Soup 2

by SelfEE



Category: Little House on the Prairie (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-22
Updated: 2020-12-22
Packaged: 2021-03-10 16:40:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,441
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28230297
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SelfEE/pseuds/SelfEE
Summary: Sequel to Stone Soup. After two long months on the road, Charles and Almanzo have finally come home after hauling mining equipment to Arizona.





	Stone Soup 2

Stone Soup Part 2

“Beth,” Manly called from the rig. “Beth, I’m home.”

It had just started to storm and the rain was coming down in torrents.

“Manly,” Laura called as she ran down the front porch steps to meet him. They kissed and they hugged one another.

“I passed the orchard on the way and it looks fine, just fine,” he said. “It’s a good thing it’s raining because I thought I would have to water all those trees.”

Laura smiled. “Come on, inside and get dried off,” she said as they entered the house. 

Almanzo had been so anxious to get in out of the rain that he had forgot to unhitch the horses. 

And so, after both of them changed their clothes, the rain let up. Almanzo asked Laura if she could help him to unhitch and stable Skip and Barnum. Laura looked at him as if he had two heads. 

“What are you up to, Almanzo Wilder?”

But Manly only smiled, grabbed her hand and pulled her outside with him. Thunder sounded and lightning bolts lit up the sky as they ran down the front steps. The wind picked up. It hadn’t started to rain yet, but it wasn’t going to wait for them to get to safety.

“Come on, hurry,” Almanzo said, opening up the barn doors and ushering her inside. 

The rain was starting as Almanzo unhitched the team and brought Skip and Barnum in to be stabled. 

“It’s really coming down,” Laura said, closing the barn door. 

“What do we do now?” he asked, a shy smile appearing on his face.

“Well,” she told him, “It’s either we stay here or make a run for it.”

He looked her and the smile widened until she suggested the loft. 

“Beth,” he said frowning, “You’ll have to climb back down. I don’t know if it’s a good idea. There’s enough hay down here to….”

But he never finished the sentence. She wouldn’t let him.

And the two of them found themselves on Almanzo’s makeshift pallet underneath the hayloft. Manly wasn’t taking any more chances with the baby coming, not after he heard that Laura developed heatstroke. 

“Beth,” Almanzo propped himself up with his elbow and looked into Laura’s eyes. “I’m sorry I left you alone here. “I should have realized that it was the wrong thing to do then to leave you to water all those trees, especially if you were going to have…..”  
Laura smiled and brought her hand up to caress his cheek with her thumb. “Manly, I’m fine. The kids all learned a lesson in sharing and caring not only for your neighbor, but for everyone around you. It was two days ago. Now quiet and try to get some sleep.”

Almanzo looked at her and shook his head. “If something would’ve happened to you or our baby, I never would have….”

He reached out and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer toward him. “I don’t ever want to lose you, sweetheart. I love you too much.”

And he kissed her long and hard until he felt something against his stomach. It felt like a light punch, maybe even a kick. He stopped abruptly and looked into his wife’s eyes.

Laura was smiling. She nodded, took his hands in hers and placed both of them on her belly. 

Almanzo looked down, his eyes centered on where the movement was coming from. He lay next to her like that, wonderment filling his eyes. When it was all over, he removed his hands, looked up at her and he smiled, despite the tears in his eyes.

“Beth,” he whispered, leaning forward to kiss her. 

“Manly,” she said, as they parted. She dried his tears. 

“Those kids are coming tomorrow after school, I hope?”

Laura smiled and nodded. 

“That’s good because you aren’t going anywhere, not to mention those trees. You aren’t going anywhere near the schoolhouse, not yet. You are going to sit in a chair and watch. You’ve had enough excitement while I was gone. Let me and the kids take care of it all.”

“Oh, Manly,” she nodded again, hugging him. “I love you. I’m not going anywhere.” She pulled away. And Ma tells me that she asked Mrs. Oleson to take over for the remainder of the school year.” She looked at him. “Don’t you and Pa have two other deliveries to make?”

Almanzo smiled. “We have more than two, Beth. This is becoming a regular thing, but don’t even fret about it. They’re scheduled for next week and by that time; things will be back to normal, I hope. You just take care of yourself and our baby, you got that?”

“You’re not headed out to Arizona again, are you?”

Almanzo smiled. “Mankato on Tuesday, Currie and Slayton on Wednesday, Sleepy Eye on Thursday and I believe that’s all. I’m hoping this will give us the money for those horses I’ve been keeping my eye on.”

“Manly, I…”

A clap of thunder interrupted their conversation. It was so loud that it made Laura jump right into Almanzo’s arms. He took advantage of the situation by wrapping her up in them and pulling her close. 

“Guess we’re not gettin’ back to the house so soon.”

Another thunderclap and the rain got stronger.

“Some homecoming for you, isn’t it? Spending the night in the barn?”

Manly smiled and shook his head. “I don’t care where I spend the night, Beth, as long as it’s with you.”

XXXXXXXXXX

Almanzo was standing outside the barn, looking to see if there were any damages to it. That storm last night was a rough one. 

He had decided to not to plant anything for a while and just stick to his job at the Feed and Seed. He was also helping Charles part time at the mill, cutting lumber and making deliveries, but he wasn’t sure how long that would last. It wasn’t as busy as it used to be. Orders were starting to dwindle. 

And then there were those Morgan horses he had his eyes on. He was beginning to think that it was a mistake. The horse  
breeding business might have to wait. 

And then there was the baby. Beth was five months pregnant, almost six. She was taking her tomatoes and eggs down to the Mercantile and hopefully, the apple orchard would start producing. She was still teaching, but that would have to stop soon. As much as he didn’t want her to work, they needed the money.

The debt was piling up. He had to do something. 

The hundred and fifty dollars that he split with Charles would help, the freight deliveries next week would help as well, but it wouldn’t be enough to cover all the expenses. All he needed was one crop. One crop of wheat and that would do it. 

“Manly, you okay? Can you hear me? You’re like a million miles away.”

Almanzo smiled at her hoping she wouldn’t see his anxiety. 

“I’m sorry, Beth,” he said, putting his hands on her shoulders. “Just a bit upset that we missed the sunrise this morning.”

“Is that what you were doing out here this morning?” She turned to face him; her face tilted upwards, her arms folded across her chest. “There are plenty more sunrises to catch, Almanzo Wilder. You and well-being are the only things that interest me.“ She stood on tiptoe to kiss him. “Did you find any damages to the barn? It really came down last night. I was curious to know how you slept.”

Almanzo looked at her, a shy smile starting to spread. She always knew what he was thinking.

“Beth,” Almanzo whispered, “You are amazing. Where would I be without you?”

He pulled her close and looked into her eyes. 

“I love you so much.” 

And he brought his lips down to meet hers. He could hear children’s voices coming over the hill to help water those apple trees. 

“They’re here early, Manly,” Laura whispered as they parted, their eyes locked on one another. “I didn’t expect them…” 

The kids had spotted them and were calling their names. 

Almanzo touched her cheek. “I promised them I’d help this morning.” He took her hand in his. “Come with me, Beth. I’ll set up a chair so you can watch. We have the rest of the morning to continue what we’ve started.”

Laura nodded and the two kept staring at each other. “Thank you, Manly, for everything. You know I love you,”

And before he could answer, the kids had surrounded the two of them and they had no choice but to join them.


End file.
